Test Tuesday: Polyurethane Spray

In this edition of Test Tuesday we are experimenting with polyurethane spray. I am using Varathane brand water based polyurethane spray in a satin finish. I applied two coats of the product.

The spray polyurethane gave all the samples a nice semi-matte finish. The No Paper sample seemed to take the longest to dry completely. The foam was not damaged with this finish because we chose a water based product.

I tested how durable the finish was on the samples by scratching the surface with my hobby knife. On the standard Readi-Board, Adams Premium and Readi-Grid samples the finish adhered well to the paper, there was no flaking. The No Paper sample adhered well too, the foam becoming damaged before I noticed the finish coming off at all. The polyurethane finish was the easiest to remove from the Readi Water Resistant board, it peeled off (in very small sections) with very little effort. I found that I could scrape the finish off the Readi-Erase board as well, though it was slightly more difficult in comparison to the Water Resistant sample.

I added some water to my Readi-Board, Adams Premium and Readi-Grid samples. I used some non-waterproof ink in the water to make the liquid more visible. I have included an image of the samples immediately after I applied the water. I allowed the water to sit for 10 minutes before soaking it up with a paper towel. I have also included an image of the samples after I soaked up the water. The polyurethane didn’t water-proof the samples, but it did help to minimize the water absorption. I didn’t perform this test on the Readi Water Resistant, Readi-Grid and No Paper samples as they are already water resistant. I’d like to note that product’s label does suggest 4 coats for maximum durability.

An interesting thing that I noticed while working is that the polyurethane made it very easy to peel away the paper facers.